Jul 4, 2008 5:04 pm US/Mountain
Lakewood Man Arrested in Fatal Dog Shooting
Written by Paul Day
Reporting
Paul Day
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) ―
Felony animal cruelty charges are pending against a Lakewood man after a neighbor's dog was found shot to death in the man's bedroom.
"It's just not right, not fair," said Marlys Duggan during a sometimes tearful interview with CBS4.
Duggan owned the Russell Terrier Mix that was killed in her neighbor's bedroom on Thursday.
Ryan Hayes was arrested and faces charges of reckless behavior and possession of a firearm while under the influence, in addition to an animal cruelty charge. All three charges are felonies.
According to police, Marlys Duggan had taken her dog to visit Hayes' mother in the 1300 block of Otis on Thursday night.
The 49-year-old son was also in the home.
Hayes was familiar and friendly with Patches, until he went to his bedroom to take a shower and the dog allegedly followed him.
There was then reportedly a gunshot blast. Duggan ran into the room to find Patches dead, with the dog's head lying in a pool of blood.
"It's like Jekyl and Hyde," said Duggan. "Why all of a sudden would you deliberately kill a dog?"
Police say the suspect initially blamed the 10 pound dog. Hayes allegedly claimed the gun was lying on the floor and went off when Patches played with it, but veterinarians consulted on the case told police that's improbable, if not impossible, based on the dog's injury.
When interviewed later by police, Hayes changed his story and was then arrested.
Police say the motive for the shooting remains a mystery.
Animal cruelty cases in Lakewood rarely rise to this level, according to Al Padilla, spokesman for Lakewood Police Department.
"One of this nature certainly is a major incident," Padilla said.
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